Kenya Under 17 Women’s National team coach Mildred Cheche has addressed the generational shift within the Junior Starlets as they ramp up preparations at the Kasarani Annex for the 2026 FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup qualifiers.
With the first leg against Namibia scheduled for April 12, and the return leg on April 18 in Nairobi, the coaching staff is focused on ensuring the team is mentally prepared for the pressure of international competition.
“We have a young squad, a new one, because most of our players transitioned to the Under-20. So, we selected a young team from various parts of the country,” Cheche said when asked about the team’s current composition.
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This transition has resulted in a relatively new squad compared to the history-making side of 2024. Of the players who represented Kenya at the World Cup in the Dominican Republic, only midfielder Lindi Weey Atieno of Madira Soccer Assassins remains in the setup.
To maintain continuity, Cheche has integrated a core side consisting of players who were part of the 2025 qualifying campaign, including Faith Boke of Butere Girls, Mwanakombo Bakari who plays for Kombani Secondary, Flevian Khatenje of St Joseph Girls Kitale and Kakamega Hill School forward Brenda Achieng.
Coach Mildred Cheche addresses integration in Junior Starlets setup
Regarding the integration of these players ,Cheche noted, “We have a blend from last year’s players. We have a few from last year, we have one from 2024, and then so far, they’re blending quite well. They’re adapting to the style of play, so I think we’re going to build a good team.”
The ongoing sessions at the Kasarani Annex are currently prioritizing on defensive discipline as per Cheche as the team prepares to face an opponent they have yet to encounter on the international stage for the first time.
“Against Namibia, we’ve not played them before, so this is the first time. We don’t know their playing style, so we are preparing ourselves for how best we know especially defensively and then we see how it goes because it’s one game at a time,” she explained.
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The Junior Starlets aim to secure one of the four African tickets to the World Cup in Morocco.
Following the Namibia tie, the winner will progress to face either Uganda or Zimbabwe in the second round this May. The team is expected to remain in residential training at the Annex until their departure for Namibia in early April.